winter/snow tire
11-09-2012, 10:00 AM
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winter/snow tire I'm looking for a decent tire for the winter. I already was forced to drive in our first storm of the year and it was a bit sketchy, balding rear tires and no weight in the back didn't help I'm sure. So I was wondering whats a good alternative? I'm on the stock 16x8 chrome rims BTW.
11-09-2012, 10:59 AM
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I've had nothing but an excellent experience with Blizzak WS-60s (I believe these have been replaced with WS-70s now) in a 225/55/16 size (that will get you closest to the factory tire height), on a 16x7.5" rim, plus 100lbs of gravel in the trunk.
That combo made my '02 unstoppable for the couple of winters that I drove it in Chicago. Heavy snow, unplowed lots, packed snow from heavy traffic, snowy conditions at expressway speeds, mild uphill ramps/grades, ice, etc..... none presented any serious challenges for a person that has experience with a RWD car in snow. Traction control may or may not provide additional benefit depending on the manuver in question.
That combo made my '02 unstoppable for the couple of winters that I drove it in Chicago. Heavy snow, unplowed lots, packed snow from heavy traffic, snowy conditions at expressway speeds, mild uphill ramps/grades, ice, etc..... none presented any serious challenges for a person that has experience with a RWD car in snow. Traction control may or may not provide additional benefit depending on the manuver in question.
11-09-2012, 01:41 PM
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Just remember that the salt will ruin your chrome wheels, not to mention the rest of the underneath of your car. If you have to drive it in the winter, make sure you have mud and snow tires-sorry, no advice on the brand.
11-09-2012, 03:30 PM
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Not just a M+S tire will do. You need an actual snow tire with the snowflake on the mountain symbol. Blizzaks are know to be the best by reputation and our testing. I agree Chrome wheels do not hold up well in the winter. Keep them waxed every month.
11-09-2012, 05:54 PM
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so the blizzaks seem to be a popular choice, are they ok to run year round or best to remove them come springtime? And yea the car has been with me in the northeast its whole life and driven year round since I got it, I just hose it off twice a month or wash it on warmer days throughout the winter, so far so good.
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11-09-2012, 07:59 PM
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I would not want to use a true snow tire all year. They feel rather squishy at highway speeds, and do not deliver the crisp handling or performance that you would expect for a car of this nature on a standard Z-rated tire. Of course, none of that matters in a snow storm, but you would not be happy with the performance of such a tire on a warm summer day.
